Peskin: Newsom is ineligible for seat on Democratic committee

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Mayor Gavin Newsom’s longtime nemesis, Aaron Peskin, seems to be going out of his way to keep the mayor out of the Democratic ring.

As the chair of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, Peskin has taken the position that Newsom is not entitled to a seat on the committee, despite the fact that he’s a Democratic nominee for state office.

Peskin claims the committee’s bylaws “do not provide for the ex-officio membership for a Democratic nominee, resident in San Francisco County, to a statewide office if the incumbent to said office is not a Democrat.”

Newsom fired back Wednesday, saying it’s “self-evident” why Peskin is trying to keep him from joining the powerful Democratic body.

“The games continue,” Newsom said. “I’m not sure there are too many Democratic Central Committees in the state that would try to keep a Democratic nominee for statewide office from serving.”